Arcadia Cocoa Loco - Arcadia Brewing Company

RobertColianni

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A: Dark brown, an inch of tan head tat quickly thins out to just a coating.

S: Smells like Nesquik chocolate milk.

T: Hopped out Nesquik. Nothing more, nothing less. A little burnt chocolate.

M: Thin, watery. A little creaminess after lingering.

OVERALL: Not done very well, but not a beer that I would disregard. It's worth drinking, but I wouldn't do a six pack.

NOTE: Live review.

Serving type: on-tap

02-09-2012 06:21:53 | More by RobertColianni

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes.

Pours near with with a nearly nonexistent head and no lacing. Somewhat forgivable given the style. Nose brings a good amount of cocoa and roast plus a touch of coffee and vanilla. Really strong cocoa. The taste adds in a bit of extra vanilla flavor, though it's quite faint. Delivers hard on the cocoa with quite a bit of roast in the background. Medium body and somewhat smooth. Actually, really smooth. Drinks really nicely. A solid hit for Arcadia.

Serving type: on-tap

10-12-2010 22:25:37 | More by Thorpe429

Richardberg

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - on tap at Village Pourhouse. thick and nearly black. Rich tan cream remains in place long after the pour.

S - typical dark malt smells, but not much of them.

T - thick, almost gritty sensation of bakers chocolate without getting bitter. A bit of the dark fruit that dominated my bomber a year ago but it's faint here - a good thing. Malt character provides a solid foundation throughout.

M - very full bodied. Perfect in that regard. I'd expect more sticky/coating in a 7% brew though. It does finish nicely dry.

D - solid effort top to bottom. Glad to see the bottle I marked down isn't reflected on tap, at least in this batch.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2010 00:03:26 | More by Richardberg

david18

New York

3.43/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This was described to me as a triple chocolate stout. Not sure it was that chocolately but it was a very good stout. As an american stout (not imperial) this is not only very good but will be easy to drink in larger quantities.

Very dark brown, low carbonation, slight chocolate aroma that balances well with the hops and malt. A very good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2010 16:06:06 | More by david18

mtnbikerpa

Pennsylvania

1.95/5  rDev -45.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

When poured came out Black in appearance, virtually no head. Other than two small streaks, there was no lacing. Smells like an old cheap chocolate bar... and I am not talking about hershey. Almost waxy aroma.
Flavor definately didnt improve as it the brew warmed. No signifigant difference in flavor than an average stout. Mouthfeel was too heavy to enjoy at its "seasonal release time." If you are expecting something special don't was you time on this one.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2009 13:38:33 | More by mtnbikerpa

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Mr. Goodbar,dark pour. significant chocolate and coffee, but otherwise unexceptional, burnt more than roast, when so many are doing the similar, so similar ranking. Brown with white head. On the sweeter side, despite English Progress, Liberty, Summit

Serving type: on-tap

07-05-2009 18:09:40 | More by northyorksammy

beergirlblog

New York

3.85/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: dark black, nice creamy tan head.

S: chocolate, all the way

T: creamy, roasted coffee and milk chocolate, not as sweet as other chocolate stouts, with an alcohol hint at the end.

F: decent, creamy but also a little watered down

D: alright, needed more balance in order to be really enjoyable.

It was a decent beer, but as I had in a series with some that were much better, my memory is a little skewed, and my notes are a little sloppy. At the time I thought it was a B+. So I'd order it again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-11-2009 00:56:14 | More by beergirlblog

Kendo

New York

3.7/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Got it on tap at the Lionheart in Albany, 2-25-09.

A: Black body with a small tannish head that settles fast, leaving no lace behind.

S: Roasted malt over coffee with a slight sourness.

T: Kind of like the nose -- coffee, roasted malt, a hint of chocolate (I expected more given the name) and burnt charcoal. Finishes with a metallic dryness. Char lingers into the aftertaste. Cocoa is more noticeable as it warms (I wrote "served too cold" and I think the temperature detracted from the smell and taste at first). . . .

M: A bit thin, especially for the purported style.

D: Pretty good, I suppose, especially if you're a coffee fan.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2009 18:22:22 | More by Kendo

plaid75

New York

4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a deep black hue with a one finger foamy tan head. There was good retention and lacing.

The smell featured burnt grain, coffee and a sweet caramel malt.

The taste consisted of an exellent coffee flavor with burnt grain elements and a touch of caramel sweetness.

The mouthfeel was of average fullness for the style.

Overall a tasty stout.

Serving type: on-tap

02-23-2009 23:04:39 | More by plaid75

Kolsch

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap. Just tapped by bartender.

Appearance is Black as a stout should be.

Smell is of sweet chocolate that left my mouth watering for the taste.

Taste was sort of a let down from the smell. Definitely detected cocoa, a very dry cocoa taste. Not as sweet as I thought it would have been. Very dry and I must say, I did like the fact that it was dry. This stout was good, but was missing something that I can't put my finger on (maybe a touch more of hops?). Needs a little tinkering and this could be a very good stout!

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2009 03:04:15 | More by Kolsch

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.53/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed on 10/3/08. On tap at Ginger Man. Pours black with a pretty dark brown head. Very pretty! Aroma of light roast. Flavor of roasted malt with sweet cocoa powder and a bitter chocolate finish. Slightly artificial sweetness but still pretty good. Nice chocolate beer.
7/4/7/4/14 (3.6/5)

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2008 01:26:02 | More by LilBeerDoctor

BaltimoreMike

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I would say it was above average overall, but not great. Very rich and a great foam, very similar to a Guinness in appearance, body and color. A sweet aftertaste, with a hint of chocolate and some molasses flavor. It is a sipping beer for sure and would probably go well for just sitting around with some friends and just there to enjoy the flavor of a good beer, wouldn't go well with wings or nachos or anything like that. Very good for people who like Guinness but want something with fuller taste and a bit sweeter.

Serving type: on-tap

11-22-2008 19:44:29 | More by BaltimoreMike

naterock

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

darke black with a two finger dark tan head. some slight lacing.

smells a bit like banana with a dark cocoa

taste is unmistakable chocolate, and a wierd taste of banana or plantain. not a real coffee taste to speak of.

mouth is thick and oily, bitter in the aftertaste but amooth the whole way down. suprisingly good because the bartender just gave me one and said "you'll like this"

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2008 23:32:27 | More by naterock

AlexJ

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Black pour with a dense creamy head of wheat colored froth that retains and sticks well, leaving crusty lace.

Aroma is dark roast malts, scorched brown sugar, chocolate, coffee, and some fruit.

Flavor starts with dark chocolate, dark malt, burnt sugar, and roasted coffee. As it warms more chocolate liquor sweetness and light vanilla notes emerge.

Body a bit north of medium, creamy and slick. Good drinkability, alot of flavor for a 7% brew.

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2008 18:41:15 | More by AlexJ

nrbw23

Ohio

3.65/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours black color with a thick brown head that goes away quickly leaving a layer of bubbles that layer down the glass.

S- Smells of chocolate and molasses with some alcohol. Could also pick up some smoke and roasted malts.

T- Tastes of sweet toffee/molasses with hints of roasted malt. As it warmed up I could pick up some coffee and dark chocolate. This beer definitely sweetened as it warmed up.

M- Not real thick for a stout, creamy and maybe a little too much carbonation.

D- Pretty good. It went really well with the chocolate custard dessert I was eating.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2008 20:11:53 | More by nrbw23

Biggness

New York

1.7/5  rDev -52.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Me and my wife had dinner @ arcadia last night. I saw on the board that there was a double imperial chocolate stout being served and I nearly creamed my pants, here I am thinking Rogue Chocolate stout. Well WOW I don't think I have ever been so disappointed by a beer. The appearance was nice but that was about it. The flavor was borderline repulsive, drink this beer next to a Rogue Chocolate stout and tell me how u give this beer anything higher than a c?!?! The mouthfeel was also very uncomfortable. Calling this a Double Imperial Stout is travesty it tasted more like a skunked Milwaukee's Best with food coloring in it.

Serving type: on-tap

06-14-2008 11:52:35 | More by Biggness

Magpie14

Michigan

3.38/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: deep, deep caramel brown color with no head to mention. Just a thin ring of foam around the rim of the glass that dissipated quickly. Looks fairly nice in the glass at a dimly lit bar.

Smell: somewhat intriguing smell of molasses/roasted caramel, and a hint of coffee...maybe some chocolate? I did pick up on a bit of grainy alcohol scent.

Taste: a bitter chocolate and coffee mix that is alright but not great. Somewhat astringent, sort of a pucker-like aftertaste that hangs around. It also has a slight malty edge in the mix.

Mouthfeel/drinkability: creamy texture with a reasonable amount of carbonation for a stout. You could put a few down but the lingering sulky aftertaste might get to some after a bit.
It is kind of like the best glass of sour/semi-sweet chocolate milk you will ever have (that is not a put down either, just very unique!)

Serving type: on-tap

05-15-2008 04:09:56 | More by Magpie14

Billolick

New York

3.88/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Glad to find this one on tap @ Holy Smoke in Mahopac, NY (This place is quietly becoming quite the beer destination) In a wine glass, this one poured quite black under a dark tan head. Lacing was present and respectable. Cocoa and light chocolate on the nose. Impressive stout, nice light chocolate notes, darker malts and some sort of sweat/slightly sour thing going on. Pleasant and highly quaff able for a larger (but not huge) stout. Nice stuff, would work with a chocolate dessert, but also helped wash down a rib or two

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2008 14:18:41 | More by Billolick

NoLiberty

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

App: Pours from draft a rich deep lightless black with a one funger thick head with consistent, solid covering and low lacing streaks. Very clean and solid.

Aroma: Chocolate roasted malt, sweet and bitter. Coffee and molasses. Nice fire roasty coco flavor in the nose. Big and wholesome, nutty. Very nice.

Taste: Sweet up front followed by chocolate and coffee which leads to modestly bitter middle with a clean finish. Roasted bitter finish with nice flavor transitions throughout the drink.

Mouth: Light carbonation. Very smooth, smooth, smooth. Almost too liquid. Light to medium bodied.

Drink: Really nice drinking and easy to sip on. Goes down easy at 7%.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2008 03:14:20 | More by NoLiberty

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours jet black, with a small tan to no head. In the aroma, sweet oatmeal and roasty malt. In the taste, a sweet chocolate/ cocoa malt taste, with a dry end. A somewhat bitter mouthfeel, with a dry oatmeal/ malty aftertaste. Nice taste of chocolate, pretty smooth, and easy to drink for an imperial stout.

Serving type: on-tap

11-23-2007 13:49:33 | More by OWSLEY069

Phatz

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On Tap at Eulogy Belgian Tavern in Philadelphia. 7/7/07
OK so this was the last beer/review of the day. Yes it had been a long day of drinking but with another experienced drinker we had been pacing well. ‘My palate is not yet destroyed and is capable of one more review.’ To our surprise Cocoa Loco is on Tap. A beer Aaron had to trade for. With much anticipation we order this nightcap before hitting the road to catch a train. It is good but not quite all I hoped. Was my palate more gone than I thought? I don't think so; the beer simply did not quite deliver the fireworks. Don't get me wrong it is a good roasty beer; but not quite "Crazy Chocolate."

Appearance: Completely opaque black, with a light brown sudsy head and a few spots of lace.

Smell: It didn't quite deliver the wallop I was expecting from this "double" Stout. It was more like an American Stout, IMO. The problem here is all expectations and I realize that because everything else aside it is a pleasant reserved aroma of dark burnt malt roasty bitter chocolate and coffee with cream.

Taste: It has a burnt coffee espresso flavor with a touch of chocolate and cream with a very subtle molasses note but it doesn't get very sweet before the dry finish.

Mouthfeel: I would consider the body big if comparing it to Irish dry stouts but in the tough competition among great American Double Stouts it doesn’t quite come off as big. It is however smooth and dry.

Drinkability: If this were sold as an Irish Dry Stout with coffee and cream, I'd be all over it. (of course I know that doesn't fit exactly either because the ABV is just a little high) but my point is there is not much Cocoa for a beer with the name. It is easy drinking. It is lighter in body and weight than many beers in this style so for that I give it props. My main objection in the name but maybe that is not fair either. Regardless, it is certainly worth trying. I will give it another shot.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

07-10-2007 01:47:25 | More by Phatz

Higravity

Michigan

2.4/5  rDev -33.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

At Ashley's in Ann Arbor, I have also had a bomber from the brewery. The Bottle was much worse hence I was willing to try it on tap. The following review is from having it on tap. From the bottle I thin the bottle has more value for the 10 cent refund than the beer inside.

On-tap
Nice dark black coloring with brown red edges and a thin head of cocoa. The smell is of a stout but were is the chocolate. Loco means crazy right well the lack of a crazy chocolate-like aroma leads to big no real taste of chocolate. I couldn't taste the choclate either and the beer was so thin it reminds me of Kate Moss. Looks can be deceiving and this one really leaves me scratching my head. I really love the regular brews from Arcadia but the big beer series is mostly junk. I hope the start over.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2007 12:22:42 | More by Higravity

jc911s

New York

4.75/5  rDev +32.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Excellent beer, smooth and refreshing. Great head, excellent pour. Great taste, rich chocolate notes, not overly sweet. No aftertaste. Very cold mug insures solid taste for the whole bottle. My favorite brew with dinner, and my favorite hang out brew. All my buddies love the beer, and I love to give it as a gift to beer drinkers who want to try a
New beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 03:03:13 | More by jc911s

Brenden

Ohio

4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A solid, very creamy tan head sits on top of a dark brown brew containing ruddy highlights. It's thick and gives the impression of being opaque though it isn't. The head, almost reaching one finger, remains dense and doesn't fade beyond a foam thick enough to keep a solid blanket that doesn't dissipate further. Patchy lacing clings to the glass.
The aroma is sweet and earthy, with a molasses note that seems very much like blackstrap more than anything. It gives off just a touch of something like black licorice. Everything translates pretty exactly to the flavor. Malt-forward for sure, the cocoa promised is evident, and it sits over roast, a light touch of smokiness, molasses and a smooth creamy note without overpowering them. There's some toffee and maybe a hint of dark fruits, something like chicory lurking underneath. All in all it melds well and makes for a nice profile.
t first it seems it's not a particularly big stout, but it does end up having quite a bit of heft. The body is full and rich, with a good creamy bulk to it. It's fortunate that it doesn't sit to heavy, and I think a good balance is struck in the feel as well as in the other aspects. The combination of thickness and sweetness tends toward a sticky feel, but it's ultimately kept in check.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 13:15:47 | More by Brenden

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.16/5  rDev -12%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle, no date

pours black, with thin off-white colored head that fades quickly. not a huge aroma, but increases a bit as it warms. a bit of sweet chocolate. taste is not roasty, but not sweet either. mild tastes of bitter cocao and burnt sugar. medium body - medium to higher carbonation. could be thicker.

overall - okay, but certainly doesn't live up to the "loco" chocolate level in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 03:02:24 | More by jmdrpi